Roll Calls

[Woe is me]

If there very little activity on a roll call thread, is that a bad sign or a good sign?

Edited June 4, 2014 by Woe is me

[Kenswing]

If there very little activity on a roll call thread, is that a bad sign or a bad sign?:confused:

 

Probably a bad sign.. LOL

[karatemom2]

In terms of the cruise itself? I wouldn't worry much about it. It's likely that your particular cruise is just very light on CC participants, maybe many first time cruisers that haven't discovered this board. We have met some wonderful friends through our roll calls, but others have not yielded much interest or participation. Either way, it has never reflected on our overall enjoyment of a cruise. If it's great and we meet nice people I consider it a bonus. If it's slow and we don't even do a meet and greet, no big deal.

[Love.II.Cruise]

If there very little activity on a roll call thread, is that a bad sign or a good sign?

 

Depends if you are before or after final payment. :eek: I couldn't resist. ;)

[Woe is me]

Depends if you are before or after final payment. :eek: I couldn't resist. ;)

 

So True!;)

[Steviewonder1]

Yes, there will be small and large Roll Calls. I have done three, hosted 2, one in our PH Suite for 39 friends and the other in Skywalkers for 80 of 150 listed on the roll call. The big issue is IF the cruisers know about Cruise Critic. Princess does their own version that they point folks to that is not really a true roll call. Here on CC there are tons of benefits like Private Excursions that cost 1/2 of what Princess charges and the set-up of the meet and greet plus things like a slot pull. Our Eastern Med Roll Call had more than 2400 posts and 27,000 reads. Some of the Roll Calls do get rolling after final payment, but those that got on early and did planning and hopping onto private excursions do better. Your Milage May Vary.

[lovevacadays]

I don't think it's a bad sign. I've been on very full ships that did not have an active roll call. My thinking was that there were most likely not many CC'ers on that ship.

[Pam in CA]

I don't think it's a bad sign. I've been on very full ships that did not have an active roll call. My thinking was that there were most likely not many CC'ers on that ship.

I agree. I've seen very quiet roll calls and found that when we met onboard, the participants were great and we had a good time together. I've been on other roll calls dominated by just a few people posting incessantly, with "Good morning!", "Good afternoon!", "Good late afternoon!", etc. posts or they go on lengthy tangents that have nothing to do the cruise. Nothing wrong with either but it can be very boring.

[paul929207]

I have been on cruises where there was little or no activity on the Roll Call and we still had a wonderful time

[caribill]

My experience is that between 2% and 5% of passengers on a Princess ship are also members of Cruise Critic that also join roll calls.

 

But the number can be less than 2%, so an inactive roll call can mean either very few passengers join Cruise Critic roll calls or that the voyage is not selling well.

 

There are only 9 members of a roll call I am on for a December cruise this year. This is the least active roll call I have ever been on. For all Princess roll calls for that month, the range of members is from 2 to 40.

 

Oddly enough, the 40 members is on an Ocean Princess voyage, one of the two smallest ships in the fleet. If each member represents 2 passengers, then that is almost 12% of the ship's lower berth capacity.

 

Also, Princess encourages passengers to join their Facebook roll calls which I never do because of the lack of protection of identity. It could be that the Facebook roll call is more active than the Cruise Critic one.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Did I dream it or did Princess discontinue their Facebook roll calls?

[CruisingJs]

Did I dream it or did Princess discontinue their Facebook roll calls?

 

I think they did discontinue them.

[Pam in CA]

My experience is that between 2% and 5% of passengers on a Princess ship are also members of Cruise Critic that also join roll calls.

Astonishingly, the CC roll call for the Princess 50th Anniversary cruise in December 2015 is up to 20% and that's not taking into account the cabins most likely set aside for executives and dignitaries. :)

 

If the Princess FB roll calls have been discontinued, they aren't missed. Princess did a half-hearted job with them.

Edited June 5, 2014 by Pam in CA

[waltd]

I agree. I've seen very quiet roll calls and found that when we met onboard, the participants were great and we had a good time together. I've been on other roll calls dominated by just a few people posting incessantly, with "Good morning!", "Good afternoon!", "Good late afternoon!", etc. posts or they go on lengthy tangents that have nothing to do the cruise. Nothing wrong with either but it can be very boring.

 

I agree with Pam. Some roll calls are taken over by a select few and they can get pretty boring. Other times it's a blast. :) Either way we love cruising.

[RNGALNG]

Our winter cruise roll call got us some good friends. We all had lots to celebrate when we got to warm waters in the middle of the coldest winter. We are booked on one heading to Alaska at the end of summer and it is the quietest one I have ever been on. The ship is almost sold out but no one seems interested. But that's okay! A good time will be had by all, I'm sure!

[Cruisin' Chick]

Before my last cruise, I checked out the FB situation. It was very evident that anyone can check the roll calls there and may be able to track down someone's address -- knowing they'll be out of town. I posted this on the main Princess FB, saying this dismayed me as I felt people were risking being robbed while on a cruise. Maybe others pointed out the same thing.

 

As for the roll calls here, I wouldn't be too concerned. Remember that many of your fellow passengers haven't heard of Cruise Critic (I have been on most of my cruises before I even learned there was a forum here), or even if they have, don't post on the roll calls. And there's the lurkers too. A few cruises ago, someone told me at the meet and greet he was a lurker and never posted.

 

And there's always the possibility that closer to one's cruise, a quiet roll call starts perking up.

[Kinkacruiser]

Small ship cruise roll calls (e.g. Alaska) would have to be the quietest I've noticed.

Popular ones are the TA's, South America, World ...generally the longer cruises.

I agree with caribill, that only 2-5% of the pax know about Cruise Critic. On the 3000 pax cruiseships , a cruise roll should have about 60 - 150 members listed.

Edited June 5, 2014 by Kinkacruiser

[Corfe Mixture]

It will probably pick up nearer the departure date.

 

My advice would be to stay quiet and wait for it to wake up.

 

I made the mistake of trying to explain this to someone who expressed disappointment that no-one had posted for a week (on a cruise which was 9 months away) and got my head bitten off by someone who said they had decided to ignore me and, complete with sarcasm emoticon, promised 'to try not to offend me again', all of which resulted in my wife & I, despite having enjoyed the Meet 'n' Greet and Gift Exchange on previous Christmas cruises, deciding to ask to be removed from the Roll Call.

 

Don't misunderstand me, I am sure it was simply a matter imperfect communication and the person I accidentally crossed swords with is probably a very nice person, but IMHO - Better to stay quiet than to risk upsetting those with a sensitive disposition.

 

The bottom line for us is that, in future, we will not join a Roll Call until after pay day when folks minds naturally turn to arranging social events and shore trips.

Edited June 5, 2014 by Corfe Mixture
spelling

[Meatman1]

How do I find out about Facebook roll call for my cruise?

[Northender]

How do I find out about Facebook roll call for my cruise?

 

On FB just type in Princess Roll Call up top (find people, places and things) and follow the bouncing ball.

 

It will ask you for a cruise month, year and ship. It will then display all the sailings for that selection. Click on your sailing and it will take you directly to that cruise. I checked mine and right now only 2 people are posting but it is a little less than a year away.

 

My CC roll call is not huge but has about 15 participants right now. I expect it will grow after the holidays.:D

[Colo Cruiser]

How do I find out about Facebook roll call for my cruise?

 

Did I dream it or did Princess discontinue their Facebook roll calls?

 

 

 

See above....

[Princessmich]

This is from cc host Laura on the top of the roll calls forum page:

We love Facebook just as much as you do, but effective immediately we will no longer allow the promotion of Facebook groups created for specific cruise line sailings on our ROLL CALLs.

 

Without going into too much detail, we feel this is in the best interest of members who enjoy participating on Cruise Critic ROLL CALLS.

 

If you currently have any Facebook groups listed in your online signature, please remove them.

 

Finally, thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

 

Questions/comments can be sent to me at community@cruisecritic.com.

 

Please take a moment to read this is a very timely article from Consumer Reports about Facebook & Your Privacy

I'm still able to post on my fb roll call as have others so they have'nt been erased totally....